Course Syllabus for AP Environmental Science

North Paulding High School, Dallas Georgia.

Instructor: Rodney Tumlin
Course description
The AP Environmental Science course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester,
introductory college course in environmental science. The goal of this inter disciplinary
course is to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies
required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze
environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks
associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or
preventing them. The following themes provide a foundation for the structure of the
course:
1. Science is a process.
2. Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes.
3. The Earth itself is one interconnected system.
4. Humans alter natural systems.
5. Environmental problems have a cultural and social context.
6. Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable
systems.

Long term labs and assignments

Students will develop data collecting skills over an extended period of time. Will
hone their abilities to take qualitative as well as quantitative measurements

Environmental Journal
Students respond to a prompt which corresponds to each chapter in their textbook

Special Environmental Seminars

Speakers from the NPS, DNR, & TU.

List of textbooks(s) and other significant readings

Necessary text :
Friedland & Relyea “Environmental Science for AP”

Necessary for supplemental information:

Various news articles, recordings, films (DVD’s. Videos), selected URL’s for
relevant sites on the Internet

Not vital, but available for classroom use:.

 Botkin, Daniel B. and Edward Keller: Environmental Science: Earth as a Living
Planet. New York: John Wiley

Wright, Richard T: Environmental Sience. 9th edition.

Brennan, Scott and J. Withgott :

Gonick, Larry and Alice Outwater: The Cartoon Guide to the Environment. New
York: HarperCollins, 1996

McConnell, Robert L. and Daniel C. Abel: Environmental Issues: Measuring,

Analyzing and Evaluating. Prentice Hall 2002.

Ryan, John C. and Alan Thein Durning. Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday
Things. Seattle: Northwest Environmental Watch, 1997.

Wasserman, Pamela and Andrea Doyle. Earth Matters: Studies for Global Future.
2nd edition. Washington DC; Population Connection, 1991.

Laboratory Manuals
Enger,E and B. Smith. Field and Laboratory Activities. 8th Ed. McGraw Hill.

AP Instructor’s Guide (to accompany Miller’s Living in the Environment , 14 th

edition, Brooks/Cole Thompson Publishing)

Molnar, W. AP Environmental Science. The People Publishing Group,Inc.,Saddle

Brook, New Jersey 2006

Mitchell, Mark K. and William B. Stapp. Field Manual for Water Quality
Monitoring. 9th edition. Thomson-Shore Printers, 1995

Case studies
Students will have to be aware of current issues and be able to gather information
and be ready to present it.

Description of incoming students

Students should have earned a B or better in biology and chemistry, and the permission of
the instructor. This prerequisite results in the students being either, juniors and seniors.
All students, therefore, will already have a background in the scientific method and the
skills to write effective lab reports.

Teacher’s Philosophy / Approach

Since this course is a laboratory and field based course, the teaching of it takes advantage
of local environments and resources. Georgia has deciduous forests, river systems, and
clearly defined watersheds. Therefore, laboratory activities that are conducted outside and
are consequently dependent on the weather have to be performed at certain times during
the year. Examples of this would be water quality testing, soil analysis, testing ozone
levels, biodiversity to name a few.

The topics in AP Environmental Science do not lend themselves to short term

memorization of facts. The emphasis of the course is on the understanding of systems and
the processes.

Students should come prepared every day. Lectures and laboratory activities will
supplement the required reading and homework assignments.

Setting and climate of the school

North Paulding High School is a suburban school

COURSE GRADE ASSESSMENT

 Tests-Multiple Choice ,Free Response Questions

 Homework, Chapter Reviews
 Presentation
 Lab Reports
 Field Work
 Journals

Tests: 57 %
Quizzes Class work & Homework : 23%
Final exam: 20%

AP EXAM PREPARATION

This course will prepare students to take the AP Exam. The three hour long exam will be
divided equally between a Multiple Choice and a Free Response Section.

The multiple choice section consists of 100 questions and constitutes 60% of the final
grade. The free response section emphasizes the application of the principles to a greater
depth and comprises 40% of the exam grade.
Unit Topic Chapter

I. Interdependence of Earth’s systems: Fundamental

Principles and concepts
 Background: General Overview of the Course

Environmental Issues, their causes and sustainability 1.

Activity: The Tragedy of the Commons

Using m and m’s, students simulate the problems
associated with the tragedy of the commons.

Activity: Footprint Activity

Using a footprint calculator on the internet, students
calculate their ecological footprint based on their lifestyle.

Video: The Lorax

Students observe the commonality of environmental
problems across the world,

Internet: The Wealth Gap

Using the internet, students examine the characteristics
(economics, population growth, resource use, etc
of developed and developing nations.

Case Study: Saving the Northern Spotted Owl

Environmental History: An Overview

2.

Selected Readings: Rachel Carson, Garrett Hardin,

Paul Ehrlich
 How humans have adapted to and modified the environment.
 Environmental history of the Unites States

Video: Guns, Germs and Steel

Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy 3.

Lab: Scientific Method

Using various characteristics of the human body, students
 propose hypothesis, and design experiments.

Lab: Design your own Experiment

Open ended question about plant growth.

II Earth System and Resources

A. Geology: Processes, Hazards, and Soils 10

 Geological processes and plate tectonics

 Erosion and Weathering
 Rocks, minerals, The Rock Cycle

CD-ROM: Plate tectonics

Using the theory of the plate tectonics, students
observe and analyze the movement of the tectonics plates

Internet: Earthquake and Volcanic Activity

Using the internet, students map the sites of recent
earthquake activity.

Videos: Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, Volcanoes

Case Study : Hot Springs in Lassen Volcanic and Yellowstone National Park

B: Soil and Soil Dynamics

 Soil formation and soil profiles
 Soil triangle
 Soil erosion, desertification and salinizations

Lab: Physical and Chemical Weathering

Students recreate the process involved in physical
and chemical weathering on different kinds of rocks.

Lab: Soil Labs

Students collect soil from different sites and do physical
and chemical tests using soil testing kits.

Video: Soil

C: The Atmosphere
 Biogeography: Weather and Climate. 6

Activity: Climatograms
Students design climatograms of assigned biomes,
 using data they have researched from the internet

Lab: Micrometeorology
Students study the effect of weathering in a locality.
Parameters used—ambient air temperature, soil
temperature, and plants.

Video: What’s up with the weather?

El Nino

D: Global Water Resources and Use 14

 Fresh water
 Water shortages
 Damming and water transfer
 Desalinization
 Irrigation

Activity: Personal Water Usage

 Students keep a daily log of their personal water
usage for a week, calculate their total water usage,
and analyze their impact on the environment.

Lab: Salinization
Students observe the effect of salinity on mustard seeds

Video: Great wall across the Yangtze,

When the Salmon Runs Dry

III The Living World

A: Ecosystem Structure
 Biomes and Terrestrial Ecology 6
 Aquatic Ecology 7
 Saltwater life zones
 Freshwater life zones: lakes, streams, rivers
 Eutrophication
 Community Ecology 8
 Non –native; native species
 Indicator, Keystone species
 Culture specific and intraspecific compilations
 Symbiotic relationships
 Project: Biomes
PowerPoint presentation on the physical characteristics
flora, fauna, and the environment impacts on different biomes

Activity: Predator/Prey Simulation using Ecobeaker software.

Project: Wanted Poster

Design a wanted poster for a non-native species.

Case study: Everglades

Video: Cane Toads: An unnatural history.

B: Energy Flow

Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow and Matter Recycling 4

 Populations, communities, food chains and webs
 Ecological pyramids and productivity

Lab: Diagram a food web

Using between 30-35 organisms found in the Smoky Mountains,
students diagram a food web and look at the intricate
interactions of the different food chains.

Lab: Owl Pellets

Students assemble a skeleton from the bones found in the
pellets and calculate the biomass required to support the
predator.

DVD: Strange Days on Planet Earth.

C. Evolution and Biodiversity: Origins, niches and Adaptations 5

 Micro and Macro evolution
 Niches-fundamental realized
 Generalist and Specialist

Lab: Natural Selection

Students conduct a simulation of the adaptation of
organisms to different habitats and use simple statistical
tools to analyze their data.

D: Natural Ecosystem Change 8

Lab: Ecological Succession

Study ecological succession over a period of five
weeks using the eco-column.
 E: Natural Biogeochemical Cycle 4

Skit: Chemical Follies: Based on the biological cycle

IV Population

A. Population Biology Concepts

Population Dynamics, Carrying Capacity and Conservation Biology 9
 Exponential versus Logistic Growth
 Biotic potential
 R-strategists, K-strategists
 Survivorship curves

Lab: Population Study—Drosophila

Students perform a long term study to analyze how
different conditions effect (a) carrying capacity and
(b) population dieback.

Ecobeaker software

B. Human Population
The Human Population: Growth, Demography, and Carrying Capacity 12
 Fertility and death rates
 Rule of 70; doubling time
 Age structure diagrams
 Factors affecting population rate
 Demographic transitions

Lab: The Power of the Pyramid

Using census data from different countries,
(internet) students construct age structure pyramids and
analyze those using social, economic, and political parameters.

Activity: How much land is required to feed you?

Students calculate the land area needed to grow the
food they eat. Data from one-week of food intake.

Video: World Population Video

The People Bomb

V Land and Water Use

A. Agriculture
Food resources 13
 Food production and nutrition
  Genetic engineering
 Irrigation
 Meat production-pros and cons
 Harvesting fish

Lab: Effect of radiation on seeds

Students measure, over a period of two weeks, the effects of
radiation on the germination and growth of irrigated mustard
seeds. Data is analyzed using statistical tests.

Video: Harvest of Fear

Deals with Diet for a New America

Case Study: Growing rice in an arid climate

Pesticides and Pest Control 20

 Type of Pesticides
 Pesticide use-pros and cons
 Pesticide treadmill, Circle of Poison
 Pesticide regulation
 Integrated pest management

Video: Assault on the Male

B. Forestry

Activity: Firestorm
Students work on a simulation on forest fires.

C. Rangelands
Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity 23
 Land use-United States, World
 Managing forests sustainably
 Sustaining national parks
 Gap analysis and ecological restoration

Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity 24

 Protecting and sustaining marine biodiversity
 Human impact on marine and aquatic biodiversity

Lab: Forest Diversity Study

Students measure the diversity of trees in a forest setting
(Quadrat Survey)

Lab: Diversity Study using cars

Students use data to calculate the Shannon-Wiener Index
D. Other Land Use
 Urbanization and urban resources
 Transportation
 Urban land use-planning and control
 Sustainable Urban areas

Activity ; Snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park

Sustainable Cities: Urban Land Use and Management 25

Project: National Parks

Students research the ecology, biology, geology, botany,
natural history, and challenges faced by public lands.

Activity: Land Use

Given certain parameters, students design an
environmentally friendly township

E. Global Economics
Economics, Environment, and Stability 26

Politics, Environment, and Sustainability 27

Environment World Views 28

 Woven as a thread through all topics that are covered

during the year.

Project: Environmental Legislation

Project: APES in the news

Students collect, make a journal, and analyze newspaper
articles over a nine-week period,

Project: Environmental hot spots

Using www.scorecard.org students write a paper on one
of the following pollutants in their area: lead, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, sulfur dioxide,
land contamination, toxic releases.

DVD: Affluenza, Escape from Affluenza.

VI Energy Resources and Consumption

A. Energy Concepts and Consumption 3

Problems Sets: Dealing with energy

B. Fossil Fuel Resources and Use

Nonrenewable mineral and energy resources 15

 Formation of mineral resources

 Finding and removing mineral resources
 Evaluating energy resources
 Coal, gas, natural gas, nuclear energy

Lab: Cookie Mining

C. Nuclear Energy

Problem sets: Radioactive Half-Life

Video: Chernobyl
The Manhattan Project

D. Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 16
 Energy efficiency and how to improve it
 Different forms of alternate energy
 Sustainable energy

Problem sets: Energy Efficiency, CAFÉ’ Standards

PowerPoint Presentation: Alternative sources of

energy-sources, economics, advantages, disadvantages and laws.

Lab: Personal Energy Audit

Field Trip : To visit coal fired power plant

Visit the wind farm on Buffalo Mountain

VII Pollution
A. Pollution Types
Air and Air Pollution 17
 Outdoor air pollution
 Photochemical and industrial smog
 Acid deposition
 Indoor air pollution
 Solutions to air pollution

Lab: Airborne Particulates

Using prepared test strips, students monitor and calculate
the number and size of particulates in their bedrooms

Lab: Airborne Particulates

Using test strips from Carolina Biologicals, students
monitor and calculate the number and size of particulates
from car exhaust (use their own cars)

Lab: Exhausting problems

Using the Gastek apparatus from Carolina Biologicals,
students calculate the amount of carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide that are being
emitted by their cars.

Video: Race to Save the Planet: Only one Atmosphere

Mexico’s Smoggy Problem

B.Noise Pollution 25

C. Water Pollution 19
 Types of Water pollution and how they are measured
 Point and non-point sources
 Oxygen Sag Curves
 Groundwater pollution
 Ocean pollution
 Wastewater treatment

Lab: Eco-column/Water Quality Lab

Using test kits, students measure chemical parameters
(nitrates, phosphates, pH, carbon dioxide, Dissolved oxygen,
hardness, chlorine) in an eco-column which they have built.
Pasco Probes are also used.

Lab: No water off a duck’s back

Students simulate the damage done to birds as the result
of an oil spill. Hard boiled eggs are immersed in oil over a
 timed period and peeled to see the effects. Feathers are
immersed in oil and washed in water and detergent to see
the effects on the morphology of the feathers.

Video: Outrage at Valdez

Scientists and the Alaskan Oil Spill
Pfisteria: Killer Algae

Field Trip: Etowah River, Raccoon Creek, Chattahoochee River, Toccoa River

Students assess the health of a mountain stream

Parameters : aquatic invertebrates, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, phosphate,
Hardness, carbon dioxide, pH, temperature
Pasco Software: Probes used to support water quality data obtained
from kits.

D. Solid and Hazardous Waste 21

Lab: Grass Decomposition

Students look at patterns of decomposition over a
six week period.

Lab: A Lab of Rot

Students compare the decomposition rates of banana
peels and newspapers under varying conditions.

Lab: Recycling Game

Students observe various recycling issues on the website

Video: Modern Marvels: Garbage

Case Study: Minamata

E. Impacts on Human Health

Risk, Toxicity and Human Health 11

Lab: Toxicity Studies

Students check the effect of common household
chemicals on brine shrimp and calculate the LD-50 levels

Activity: Risk perception and risk reality

Video: Ebola
Legacy of Love Canal
 Reading: “Our Stolen Future” by Theo Coburn

VIII Global Change

A. Stratospheric Ozone
Ozone Loss 18

Lab: Measuring Ozone Levels

Students make ozone test strips and check ozone
levels in surrounding areas.

Use Eco Badges to verify data

Video: Suntan Now, Cancer Later

Ozone: The Hole Story

B. Global Warming

Climate Change and Ozone Loss 18

Lab: Greenhouse Effect

Students investigate the processes that might occur
in global warming.

Activity: What can you do to stop global warming?

Students address this problem using teacher
generated scenarios that apply to their daily lives.

Lab: Fossil Fuels

Students keep a daily log of their driving for a week and
calculate how much carbon dioxide they have generated.

Video: Warnings from the Ice

C. Loss of Biodiversity

Project: Endangered Species

PowerPoint presentation on an organism of their
choice.

Video: America’s Endangered Species: Don’t Say Goodbye

Never Cry Wolf
Frogs as Indicator Species
Test Recovery Policy:
"If a student earns a 69% or less on a unit test, then the student may retake that unit
test to earn a maximum of a 70% on the assessment. If the student chooses to retake
the test, then the test retake must be completed within 1 week after the original graded
assessment has been given back to the student for review."